1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to an active agent delivery device for use in applying insect repellent to clothes as part of the drying cycle of a clothes dryer. In particular the invention is directed to a delivery device which provides for release of insect repellent to fabrics within an automatic laundry dryer at dryer operating temperatures for treating children's garments for the purpose of repelling deer ticks to prevent Lyme Disease.
2. Prior Art Delivery Methods
Eradicate With Pump Gun
Many types of insects are classified as pests, and many efforts have been made to eradicate or, at the very least, control them. An early application was the product FLIT, developed for the purpose of ridding an area of pests, the trademark advertising slogan showing that once an offensive insect was encountered, "Quick Henry The Flit" was applied by means of a pump gun with spray device (see FIGS. 1-3). Notwithstanding the development of effective poisons, which have been substantially effective in controlling insects such as mosquitoes, it has been found that many poisons, a case in point being the chemical commonly known as DDT, have undesirable effects on human and other animal life and therefore uses of many are now regulated or forbidden. See Rachel Carson, Silent Spring.
Freon Spray Delivery
More recently efforts have been directed to controlling offensive insects, rather than to eradicating them. Products such as 6-12 have been marketed as an aerosol, replacing the pump gun. This delivery was very popular, so much so that we are now faced with the threat of global warming. For environmental and health reasons the aerosol spray has proved more of a threat than a solution.
Toxicity
Often, an effective repellent is the only feasible means to prevent the mosquito bites which for many produce an allergic reaction. Some such repellents are of low toxicity, such that they may be applied to the human body and onto pets, zoo animals and livestock. However, some other repellent materials are toxic and others are foul smelling and discoloring, which adverse properties can seriously limit their utility. Many of the useful insect repellents reported in the literature are tertiary amides and of these the one heretofore regarded as the most effective all-purpose insect repellent is N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, which is often referred to as "DEET". It is effective in repelling mosquitoes, black flies, carpenter ants and deer ticks. In view of the relatively small number of useful insect repellents known, many of which are toxic when applied to the skin of children, efforts continue to be made to discover delivery devices for applying such repellents to garments, particularly children's garments. Desirably, such compounds also would be of improved physical characteristics, such as even better aroma, desirable volatility, non-staining character, even lower toxicity, improved stability, greater substantivity to substrates, and repellency against a broader group of insect types.
Lyme Disease
Whereas many insects are considered a nuisance, others have proved to be a significant health threat, particularly to children. Lyme disease is one such threat. The following are excerpts explaining Lyme disease and some of the difficulties it poses.
1) AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS: Lyme Disease Fact Sheet
What is Lyme disease? Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi.
Early symptoms: The Lyme disease rash, called erythema migrans, may start out as a small red spot at the site of the bite. This spot typically expands after several days. The rash may be circular or oval shaped with a partial central clear area. More sports can develop after the first one. The rash is sometimes described as a "target" or "bull's eye" but many Lyme disease rashes do not follow this pattern. The rash is often accompanied by fever, headache, mild neck stiffness and flu-like symptoms that come and go.
Later symptoms: Weeks to months later, children with untreated Lyme disease may develop arthritis, neurologic problems, or meningitis.
How is Lyme disease spread? Lyme disease is transmitted to humans by certain infected black-legged ticks (sometimes called deer or bear ticks). Lyme disease is NOT spread by the common American dog tick.
Children can contract the disease when they are bitten by black-legged ticks that have been feeding on infected animals.
Most cases of Lyme disease occur in warm months. The incubation period is 3-31 days.
What can parents and child care providers do? Avoid black-legged tick habitats (tall brassy areas, bushes, wooded areas) if possible. If on a hike, walk in the center of the trail to avoid brushing against trees and bushes.
Dress children appropriately if entering a tick-infested area. Have children wear a hat, light colored clothing, long sleeves, long pants tucked into socks, and closed shoes or sneakers.
Permethrin can be sprayed on clothing to prevent tick attachment. If you use DEET tick repellent on exposed skin or clothing, apply it sparingly because seizures have been associated with its use in children. Apply spray repellents out-of-doors. Do not apply DEET to children's hands that they may put into their mouths and eyes. Once indoors, remove DEET with soap and water. Remove and launder clothes.
Check children's skin and scalp daily for ticks. If you discover a tick attached to a child's skin, follow the Infant & Child First Aid guidelines of the American Red Cross. Wearing gloves, grasp the tick with tweezers as close to the child's skin as possible. Pull slowly to avoid breaking the tick. If you cannot remove the tick, or if parts of the tick remain in the skin, get medical help. If you do not have tweezers, use a glove, plastic wrap or a piece of paper to protect your fingers. If you must use your bare fingers, wash you hands immediately afterward. Wash the bite area with soap and water. If the child feels ill, get medical help without delay. Be sure to tell the parents that the child has had a tick bite.
2) AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE: Protecting Yourself From Lyme Disease
People can pick up ticks during walks in parks or the woods, or while hiking and camping. Children are especially susceptible because they run around in tall grass, play in wooded areas and roll on the ground, researchers have noted.
The individual risk of getting Lyme disease is reasonably small. Only about 12 to 15 percent of ticks actually carry the disease. Experts said removing ticks from the body quickly may prevent a person from contracting Lyme disease. Ticks generally must feed on a person for 24 to 48 hours before the person becomes infected.
Lyme disease experts warn field troops not to wear tick and flea collars meant for pets. Cats and dogs don't sweat, but people do, and harmful chemicals can get into the human body through sweat glands.
Named after Lyme, Conn., where it surfaced in 1975, Lyme disease has become one of the fastest-growing vector-borne diseases in the United States. The highest incidence occurs in the Northeast from Massachusetts to Maryland and in Wisconsin, Minnesota, California and Oregon. A vector is a host that passes the disease germ--the tick, in the case. Researchers at the Armed Forces Pest Management Board note that all military recruit training areas are infested with ticks.
The best way to avoid Lyme disease is to stay away from places where ticks live--tall grass and weeds, scrubby areas, woods and leaf litter. Another good idea: Check children and pets after they've played outside.
Service members can use a two-part DoD chemical repellent system consisting of a permethrin-based spray for clothing and DEET-based lotion for exposed skin. The repellents should be coupled with proper wearing of the uniform.
If you can't avoid tick-infested areas, CDC experts suggest you wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, tuck pant legs into socks or boots, tuck shirt into pants, tape area where pants and socks meet to keep ticks out and wear light-colored clothing so ticks can be seen easily.
After being outdoors:
Promptly remove and wash clothing; PA1 Inspect your body carefully and remove attached ticks with tweezers, grasping as close to the head as possible and gently tugging the tick free without crushing its body. Squeezing the tick's body may force infected fluid into the wound; PA1 Place tick in sealed container for examination by a local health department; and PA1 Wash the wound and apply an antiseptic.
3) UNIVERSITY OF PENN: Watching out for Lyme Disease
These precautions can help reduce the risk: (a) wear light-colored clothing so ticks can be easily spotted, (b) wear long-sleeved shirts with tight cuffs, (c) wear long pants tied at the ankle or stuffed into socks, (d) wear light-colored socks and closed shoes, (e) use insect repellent containing DEET on clothing (especially shoe tops and pant legs), (f) put tick repellent collars on pets and (g) check yourself, your children, and your pets for ticks before coming indoors.
4) UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI: Ways to Reduce the Risk of Lyme Disease:
The best prevention is to use an insect repellent with the ingredient, DEET (a concentration of 35% to 55% is recommended for best protection).
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide for a new and improved method of protecting against insects, particularly carriers of Lyme Disease, to provide for a method of delivery of insect repellent which controls the amount and toxicity of a repellent applied directly to garments, particularly childrens garments, and which eliminates the direct application of toxic repellent to the skin of a user which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of prior art.